The fundraising advantage Republicans already enjoy — they have $40 million in the bank; the Democrats are essentially broke at the national level — would swell with the new confidence and probably help ensure the GOP retains control of both houses of Congress in November.

It also would show that voters in areas President Trump carried in 2016 have not abandoned the president and that the power of the presidency — the steel and aluminum tariffs proposed in recent days are believed to be part of an effort to help Saccone’s campaign in a district with 86,000 union households — can still be used to deliver seats in Congress for his party.

“If Lamb wins, then every Democrat running in a swing district across the country will try to adapt the Lamb strategy: Avoid the press; take no strong stands on any issue; and just focus on saying over and over again that, as a candidate, you support new leadership on both sides of the aisle. If Lamb loses, it’s back to the #Resistance.”

Going back to the #Resistance would be good news for Republicans. Its congressional candidates, such as Jon Ossoff in Georgia, have not been successful at converting independent and middle-of-the-road voters to the Democratic side.

But a Lamb victory, especially in a climate where some Republicans have abandoned their opposition to tariffs and limited government, could provide momentum and a blueprint for Democrats to run as centrists and blunt literally all of the current GOP attacks.

Democrats won’t like winning this way. But they’ll take it. And if it works next Tuesday in southwest Pennsylvania, it will be time for Republicans to push the panic button.